Page 67 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 11(1) (2023)
P. 67
ia universitatisconvergence area. Indeed, only the absolute and is that in the past there have been some conver-
relative chronology of the emergence of single gent linguistic changes in this area which com-
centr al european con vergence ar ea: theor etical and methodological consider ations 67 linguistic phenomena in the idioms involved re- prise languages and their dialects from at least
veals whether shared structural ‘surface’ linguis- three different genetic stocks. The question aris-
tic features are really a result of language contact es whether these dialect continua have really
or are merely accidental. While the mere enu- converged into the hypothesized Central Euro-
meration of common linguistic features of lan- pean convergence area, at least to some extent
guages within a hypothesized convergence area comparable to the Balkan linguistic league. In
is rather banal, explaining their origin is a signif- the following paragraphs, the theoretical and
icantly harder nut to crack in the historical lin- methodological approach in defining the Cen-
guistic interpretation (cf. Hock 2021, 724). tral European Sprachbund, as presented in Kur-
zová (1996 and 2019), is critically assessed, offer-
In linguistics, there is no uniform defini- ing a methodologically more solid framework
tion of the term convergence area. The following and the main objectives in the investigation of
definition seems be in accordance with the the- this phenomenon.
ory and methodology of historical linguistics:
a convergence area can be defined as a group of Geographical and chronological delimita-
languages in contact, belonging to at least three tion. The languages of the Central European lin-
genetic stocks which display common innova- guistic area were, in the past, part of multilin-
tions in grammar (as well in vocabulary) due to a gual political and cultural entities that were in
long-lasting appurtenance to a political and cul- the political-administrative sense part of Cen-
tural entity (in the past), which resulted in in- tral European political formations with centres
tensive linguistic contact and mutual linguistic of power linked to the German linguistic area,
influence and linguistic convergence. A conver- i.e. first and foremost of the Holy Roman Em-
gence area is therefore defined primarily on the pire and its continuations. The connection to
basis of those grammatical changes which have the German-speaking territory lasted in the dif-
arisen secondarily as a result of linguistic conver- ferent Central European languages or parts of
gence (convergent linguistic change and the re- them for different periods of time, and, in some
sulting shared structural linguistic features). To areas, it still does.13 The decline of this common
conclude, a convergence area is defined, first of cultural space for most Central European lan-
all, on the basis of those grammatical changes guages is most probably to be traced in time after
which arose secondarily due to convergent lin- the First World War when radical political and
guistic change. Depending on the number of cultural changes took place.
these secondarily common structural linguis-
tic features, the languages within a convergence Influencing and influenced languages. In the
area may be divided into ‘core’ and ‘peripher- process of linguistic convergence in the Cen-
al’ languages, i.e. ones with a bigger or a small- tral European area, the German language played
er number of shared grammatical features of sec- a unifying role. In the German Empire and its
ondary origin.
13 For instance, the greater part of the Slovenian linguistic
Central European linguistic area: area was linked to the political entities of German cul-
a convergence area? ture in the period from the second half of the 8th centu-
The Central European linguistic area encom- ry, when, at that time, the future Slovenian-speaking lands
passes German, the so-called Central Europe- were integrated into the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne
an Slavic languages and Hungarian.12 The fact (reigned 768–814) (cf. the annexation of the Alpine Slav-
ic principality of Carantania to the Duchy of Bavaria in
12 The term Central European must be understood in terms 743–745 and the subsequent annexation of Bavaria to the
of linguistics and not perhaps in terms of geography, polit- Frankish Kingdom in 788, as well as the annexation of the
ical or cultural history, or otherwise. Alpine Slavic principality of Carniola to the Frankish state
during the Frankish-Avar wars in 791 and 795–796) until
1918, when the last major political formation in the area,
the Austro-Hungarian monarchy under the Habsburgs,
collapsed (cf. Štih, Simoniti, and Vodopivec 2016).
relative chronology of the emergence of single gent linguistic changes in this area which com-
centr al european con vergence ar ea: theor etical and methodological consider ations 67 linguistic phenomena in the idioms involved re- prise languages and their dialects from at least
veals whether shared structural ‘surface’ linguis- three different genetic stocks. The question aris-
tic features are really a result of language contact es whether these dialect continua have really
or are merely accidental. While the mere enu- converged into the hypothesized Central Euro-
meration of common linguistic features of lan- pean convergence area, at least to some extent
guages within a hypothesized convergence area comparable to the Balkan linguistic league. In
is rather banal, explaining their origin is a signif- the following paragraphs, the theoretical and
icantly harder nut to crack in the historical lin- methodological approach in defining the Cen-
guistic interpretation (cf. Hock 2021, 724). tral European Sprachbund, as presented in Kur-
zová (1996 and 2019), is critically assessed, offer-
In linguistics, there is no uniform defini- ing a methodologically more solid framework
tion of the term convergence area. The following and the main objectives in the investigation of
definition seems be in accordance with the the- this phenomenon.
ory and methodology of historical linguistics:
a convergence area can be defined as a group of Geographical and chronological delimita-
languages in contact, belonging to at least three tion. The languages of the Central European lin-
genetic stocks which display common innova- guistic area were, in the past, part of multilin-
tions in grammar (as well in vocabulary) due to a gual political and cultural entities that were in
long-lasting appurtenance to a political and cul- the political-administrative sense part of Cen-
tural entity (in the past), which resulted in in- tral European political formations with centres
tensive linguistic contact and mutual linguistic of power linked to the German linguistic area,
influence and linguistic convergence. A conver- i.e. first and foremost of the Holy Roman Em-
gence area is therefore defined primarily on the pire and its continuations. The connection to
basis of those grammatical changes which have the German-speaking territory lasted in the dif-
arisen secondarily as a result of linguistic conver- ferent Central European languages or parts of
gence (convergent linguistic change and the re- them for different periods of time, and, in some
sulting shared structural linguistic features). To areas, it still does.13 The decline of this common
conclude, a convergence area is defined, first of cultural space for most Central European lan-
all, on the basis of those grammatical changes guages is most probably to be traced in time after
which arose secondarily due to convergent lin- the First World War when radical political and
guistic change. Depending on the number of cultural changes took place.
these secondarily common structural linguis-
tic features, the languages within a convergence Influencing and influenced languages. In the
area may be divided into ‘core’ and ‘peripher- process of linguistic convergence in the Cen-
al’ languages, i.e. ones with a bigger or a small- tral European area, the German language played
er number of shared grammatical features of sec- a unifying role. In the German Empire and its
ondary origin.
13 For instance, the greater part of the Slovenian linguistic
Central European linguistic area: area was linked to the political entities of German cul-
a convergence area? ture in the period from the second half of the 8th centu-
The Central European linguistic area encom- ry, when, at that time, the future Slovenian-speaking lands
passes German, the so-called Central Europe- were integrated into the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne
an Slavic languages and Hungarian.12 The fact (reigned 768–814) (cf. the annexation of the Alpine Slav-
ic principality of Carantania to the Duchy of Bavaria in
12 The term Central European must be understood in terms 743–745 and the subsequent annexation of Bavaria to the
of linguistics and not perhaps in terms of geography, polit- Frankish Kingdom in 788, as well as the annexation of the
ical or cultural history, or otherwise. Alpine Slavic principality of Carniola to the Frankish state
during the Frankish-Avar wars in 791 and 795–796) until
1918, when the last major political formation in the area,
the Austro-Hungarian monarchy under the Habsburgs,
collapsed (cf. Štih, Simoniti, and Vodopivec 2016).
